Bros Before...

By Anonymous, Burlington, MA

Image Credit: Cheyenne B., Elwood, KS

The author's comments:

This was the first story I wrote for my Creative Writing: Fiction class my junior year.

Bros Before..

I’ll never forget the first time John met Jack. As I dropped John off for the first day of kindergarten, Jack and his mother were walking in next to us. I knew they were going to be friends because instead of them both being shy, like normal five year olds are when they first meet a new person, the first thing Jack said to John was “Hey wanna be friends!?”. It was adorable. From that point on they have been best friends. They even bought the same shirt and both wore it to school three days in a row. Another time they tried to create their own secret language. Then there was the time they built a fort together and pretended they were knights protecting a castle, not letting anyone else in without the “password” that only they knew. They would be friends forever. Now, they’re both 18 and in their senior year. I’m very proud of John, as well as Jack. Both at the top of their class academically and both involved in sports, John basketball, Jack football, as well as numerous extracurricular activities like chorus and student council. They really are great kids. I do remember one time, though, when they were both over at our house, as well as Jack’s girlfriend Anna, John was acting very different. Not being his usual loud, happy self. Just kind of sitting there. “Third-wheeling” as the kids call it nowadays. I figured he was just having a bad day but I asked him what was wrong when Jack and Anna left. “John are you okay? You seem upset?” “Yeah...I’m fine...” “You sure Jack?” “Yeah mom..well..kinda. I kinda...like Anna. Like more than a friend. And I don’t know if I should tell Jack or not?” “Oh...well..uhm..You should tell him. He’s been your best friend since kindergarten. He will understand.” I really didn’t know how Jack would react but I just couldn’t stand to see John like that. Truth be told, I really don’t know if John ever said anything to Jack about it, but I did notice that John was acting normal again. He and Anna were always hanging out after school while Jack was at football practice. Now, at the time, I didn’t realize that Jack and Anna had broken up and that John and Anna were a “thing” now. I found that out when I asked John if he ever talked to Jack about his situation. “Johnny? Did you ever talk to Jack about that thing?” “Well yeah. Actually mom, he and Anna broke up” “Oh...” Jack and John were never hanging out anymore and John was always with Anna. He started acting different in a bad way. His grade were dropping, he was always coming home late, and he was always giving me attitude. I didn’t know what to do. I knew that teenagers go through stages that he was going to go back to his old self, I was just worried that he and Jack were never going to be friends again. I thought about sitting down to talk to him about it but I wasn’t sure. Part of me wanted to not say anything because he could learn for himself on this one, but at the same time, this was a thirteen year friendship that was in jeopardy. I didn’t know what to do?

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